The Promise
by ThatWeirdOtaku21
Summary: Teana, the new Princess, is unable to escape her marriage with her abusive husband, Seto. Willing to do anything, she agrees to have her childhood friend and notorious King of Thieves Bakura "kidnap" her and get her out of her marriage. Now Teana must choose between two very different lifestyles. And what's this about a promise? Vexshipping Thief King Bakura/Teana
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yeah, so remember that story I was doing, Unwanted Memories? Well… I deleted it. For one thing, it wasn't getting many reviews. Normally I wouldn't really care about that, but I use reviews as my motivation to continue. My main reason was that I could NOT think of anything else. I thought I had it all planned out, but when I tried to write it, I literally sat frozen at my computer. This is a rare thing for me since I hate abandoning my stories, and hopefully this doesn't happen again. I'm sorry to anyone who liked it. :/**

**But with the fall of an old story comes the rise of a new one! And another AU! I love doing AU's, they're so much fun! And this includes a pairing I've never attempted before, Azureshipping! Although it's not the main pairing and it will only last for about 2 chapters at most, I'm still excited!**

**Summary: Teana is unable to escape her marriage with her abusive husband, King Seto. Willing to do anything, she agrees to let her childhood friend and notorious King of Thieves "kidnap" her and take her away from the castle. Now Teana must choose between a life of being looked at as a criminal with her closest friend, or a lavish but miserable life with her fiancé Seto. Will she ever return to the castle? Or will she stay with her childhood friend who she comes to think of as so much more? And what about a promise Teana and Bakura made to each other? **

**Warnings: Seto will be intentionally OOC. And in this story Isis is Seto's sister.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. **

**Enjoy!**

**X**

The young dancer narrows her eyes in disgust at the men that watch her as she performs. They're staring in all the wrong places, and it made Teana feel vulnerable in front of them. She wanted to just curl up in a ball and hide herself from their lustful eyes. It's not like she wanted to be performing in front of these pigs. But her fiancé, Seto, insisted. It was the day of her inauguration, and it was rumored that their Princess had incredible dancing talents. Seto suggested that she dance to please the people, and he had also said that it would give her a chance to show them all what a talented woman she was at dancing.

Well as it turned out, the only reason they wanted to see her perform was to watch her fully and well developed body swing to the beat. And, as she had come to notice, the majority of the audience was men. But she could not stop now, Seto would be disappointed. And no one, not even the Princess, dared to do anything but please their King.

She was relieved when she heard the music beginning to end. She completed her final movement before she bowed. The crowd cheered wildly in approval. Teana smiled a fake smile and waved before rushing off back to the castle.

X

"You did excellent today, Teana." Seto told her as he was escorting her to her room.

"You saw?" Teana questioned. She was not stupid. She knew that he was there.

"Not all of it, but enough to know that you are quite good at it." He replied.

"Thanks, but I think those people liked it for a _different_ reason." Teana muttered under her breath.

"Teana, don't be so dramatic. Those people know better than to look at their future Queen that way."

She wanted to sigh. She had to play this innocent and clueless act for Seto all the time. Just so he would think that she did not know of his obvious advances.

"You're right, of course they wouldn't." She said, her smile dripping with falseness.

They walked in silence for a moment before they reached Teana's room. Seto locked her in a tight embrace, inhaling her scent as he did so.

"Goodnight, Teana."

"Goodnight Seto." Teana replied as she separated from him and walked into her room.

Locking the door, Teana shrugged off her long-sleeved dress. The dress fell to the floor. She didn't bother to hang it up. She then slipped into a nightgown that revealed a bit more than the dress did, but it was much more comfortable. She looked down. Purple and blue bruises adorned her arms and shoulders. Had they not faded? There weren't very many, maybe a couple on each arm. She reached up and gingerly touched the bruise right beside her chin. It didn't hurt anymore.

She had not expected this from him. When they first met, he had been a kind man. He had been a gentleman. But as time went on, he showed more of his aggressive side. She learned to never question him and to just go with whatever he said. He became more affectionate towards her as the time for their marriage grew closer. She was disgusted by the way he would look at her and touch her. He would not blindly fondle her, but at times where his hand would linger was not always in the best of places. She could not escape her marriage with him. She had agreed to marry the King because she had heard such good things about him from the townspeople. How she wished she could turn things around. She wanted to get out of the marriage, and badly. But there was no way she could get out of it. If she refused, she would either be thrown in the dungeon for treason or be killed.

But right now, anything looked better than a marriage with Seto.

Teana felt tears prickle behind her eyes. Why was she crying? What good would that do her? Crying would only make things worse. But she could not stop the tears that began to flow out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She said she would never do this. But here she was, now sobbing uncontrollably. She collapsed onto the carpeted floor, burying her face in her hands.

Why was she allowing herself to cry? Was it just that she couldn't take it anymore? Maybe she was at the peak of her emotions. When she had first been struck, she thought she had accepted the fate she knew was coming. But apparently not. She did not want to accept the fact that she was bound to Seto forever.

A knock on her door caused her to look up from her hands. She hurriedly wiped at her eyes and face in a feeble attempt to make it look like she had not been crying. She stumbled to her feet, wiped at her eyes once more, and opened the door.

"Your majesty, are you alright? I heard sobbing up here, and I was wondering if it was you." It was Isis. Isis was Seto's younger sister, and Seto kept her in the palace to assist Teana with certain things, and also to help him plan events in the kingdom.

Teana clutched the door handle tightly. "I wasn't crying; I'm fine." She added a weak smile.

Isis however, wasn't convinced. "Teana, there are no other females on this floor besides myself. And your eyes are red."

After a moment of silence, Teana finally broke down. The tears came out of her eyes once more. Isis hurriedly shut the door so no one else would hear her cries. Teana buried her face in her hands once more.

"I-Isis..!" she cried as she embraced her, crying into the older woman's shoulder. Isis was surprised at her sudden show of emotion, but nonetheless comforted the crying girl. She led Teana to the bed.

"Teana, tell me what's wrong."

Teana looked up, tears brimming in her dark blue eyes that used to sparkle with life. "I-I… don't want… to marry Seto…" Isis's own blue eyes went wide.

"Why not?" Though before Teana answered, Isis's eyes fell on Teana's marked arms. She grabbed one of Teana's arms.

"Teana… did Seto… do this to you?" Teana gave a slight and shaky nod.

Isis felt her brows furrow together in disappointment at her brother. How could he do this to a woman? How could he treat her this way?

"How long has this been going on?" she asked her.

Teana sniffled. "F-For the past m-month…"

"Isis, I don't want to be with him! I don't love him, I don't want to be the Queen! I just want to leave!" she shouted as she broke down into more sobs that violently shook her body.

Isis could do nothing but comfort the poor girl. She couldn't do anything to stop the marriage. If she tried, she would be killed without hesitation by her older brother. There was nothing that Teana could do to stop her marriage to Seto either, and it tore at Isis's heart that she had to watch the girl she'd grown close to go through so much pain. Teana did nothing to deserve what she got nearly every day.

So Isis spent the next hour talking to her, telling her that everything would be okay and that things would turn out alright. Teana knew that she was lying just to make her feel better. But to hear those comforting words coming from the woman she looked up to as an older sister, she still felt somewhat relieved.

Isis stood up from the bed. "If you need anything, come to me, okay Teana?"

"I will. Thank you Isis." Teana replied, and with that Isis left her to her thoughts. Teana thought she would cry again, but she'd spent the last hour crying out every tear she had within her.

Teana scooted back onto the bed and snuggled underneath the covers. When she married Seto, she would have to share a bed with him. She was to marry him in the summer, and it was fall now. So she enjoyed the last months that she had sleeping in her own bed.

She turned around to get into a more comfortable position, but was met with a pair of icy lavender-blue eyes staring right back at her.

"Hey."

Teana opened her mouth to scream in surprise, the intruder placed his hand over her mouth.

"Sshh! Do you _want_ Seto to find me?"

She recognized that voice. When she looked up and took a moment to observe him, she saw that familiar matted white hair, that taunting smirk…

"Bakura?"

**A/N: *hides behind Bakura* Protect me fluffy!**

**Bakura: From who?**

**Me: The Seto fangirls! They're gonna kill me!**

**Bakura: Now who's fault is that?**

**Me: … Good point. But, it was either Yami or Seto, and I just couldn't see Yami doing this in a million years.**

**Bakura: You said the same thing about Seto.**

**Me: Leave me alone! And sorry it's so short, the next few chapters will definitely be longer, I promise. Oh, and R & R please! You'll get a cookie if you do!**

**~TWO21**


	2. A Visit From An Old Friend

**A/N: Wow, I managed to update this on time. That's shocking. O_o**

**Thank you to baku anzu and snow-kim for the reviews! Have some cookies! ^_^**

**I may have forgotten to explain some things in the beginning so I'll take some time to do that now. Bakura's character will be slightly different since in this story his village of Kul Elna was not slaughtered and burned. He's still going to be the arrogant Thief King we all know and love, just not as cold hearted and not controlled by Zorc. I changed the characters around a bit, so allow me to write their role.**

**Isis- Teana's assistant and Seto's younger sister. He keeps her in the palace to assist him with running the kingdom.**

**Mahado- Isis's husband. Seto banned him from staying in the kingdom after he got into a fight with him, so he lives on the outskirts of the palace.**

**Mana- Isis and Mahado's daughter. She's about 12 years old. She lives with Mahado on the outskirts of the palace.**

**Malik- Lives further away from the palace after being kicked out by Seto. His role as Isis's younger brother is the same.**

**Now then, Bakura, would you like to do the honors?**

**Bakura: Sure, why not? Rainbow-chan does not own me or Yu-Gi-Oh… thank Ra.**

**Me: Hey! No cookies for you! Enjoy everyone! :D**

**X**

"Bakura?"

"The one and only." Bakura replied smugly.

Teana's eyes went wide. "But how are you here? How did you get in here? I thought you disappeared after Seto proposed to me." When Seto proposed to her in September, her childhood friend disappeared, not even bothering to see her off or attempt to visit her. Teana's memory of him had sort of faded, though she wasn't sure why. Bakura had been her friend, her only friend, for a while.

"I did. But when I heard that your inauguration was today, I thought I'd come to congratulate you. I got in using a little help from some friends of mine." Bakura said, referring to his followers. "I never thought you'd be cut out for the position of Princess."

"For your information, I am perfectly capable of being a Princess." Teana said hotly, folding her arms over her chest.

Bakura chuckled, but then his attitude seemed to change completely. His face turned serious, his eyes narrowing and his mouth pressing into a tight line. "I also happened to overhear your conversation with Isis."

Teana's face fell. "You heard everything?"

Bakura gave a slight nod. "The King's been abusing you?"

Teana averted his eyes, and she refused to answer. She wasn't sure how he would react, since she hadn't seen him in so long. She didn't want to find out either.

"Teana, tell me the truth right now." Bakura placed his hand on her shoulder. His face was dark, and serious. She recognized that look all too well. She'd seen it a few times when they were younger, but it was rare.

"He hasn't been abusing me. You've misheard." Teana murmured.

Bakura frowned, and he pulled Teana's arm out from underneath the blanket. "Where did these come from then?"

Teana frantically searched her mind for an excuse. "I… um… I've slipped and fallen while practicing my dancing..."

Bakura snorted. "Don't give me that, Teana. I know when you're lying."

"How do you know I'm lying?!" she fired back.

"These are finger marks. This isn't something that you could've gotten while dancing." Bakura answered calmly.

Teana opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again. There was no use trying to hide it from him any longer. He'd figured it out.

"I…"

"Is Seto the one abusing you or not?"

Teana looked down, her bangs shadowing her eyes from him. "Yes… it's Seto."

Teana heard him growl and mutter vulgar curse words under his breath. "I knew it…" he spat viciously.

"There's nothing I can do about it anyway, Bakura. There's no point in worrying about it." Teana told him forlornly, a solemn expression on her pretty face.

A smirk curled up Bakura's lips. "I wouldn't say that."

Teana perked up in interest, raising a brow before propping herself up, shifting her weight onto her elbow. "Huh?"

"You're not totally hopeless, Princess. What if I told you I could get you out of here?" Bakura asked her, resting his cheek against his palm.

Teana's azure eyes brightened. "You can get me out of here?"

Bakura nodded. "It'll be hard, but I can do it."

Teana let her first sincere smile since she came into the kingdom spread across her lips. "Alright, but what's your price?"

It was Bakura's turn to be confused. "Price? What makes you think I have a price?"

"Well, when we were kids, whenever I asked for a favor, you always wanted something in return." Teana explained.

"Heh. Well, lucky for you, you and I have a similar goal. You want to escape the castle, and I want to escape the kingdom. So, I'll get you out of here for free." Bakura explained with a smirk.

"Why do you want to escape the kingdom?"

"To taste freedom. My village of Kul Elna was looked down upon greatly, so we were gated off from the other villages, and few people chose to acknowledge this village as a part of the kingdom. All my life I was forced to go outside to the same surroundings every day. Had it not been for you visiting me every day, who knows what I'd be now? Also, Seto and his men are looking for me, I'm a wanted criminal. If I'm found, I'll be killed. So I need to get out of here as soon as I can."

Teana's eyes saddened at the remembrance of that memory. Her longtime friend lived in the village of Kul Elna, a village that people in the kingdom detested. So the previous king, Gozaburo, ordered that it be gated off from the rest of the kingdom. Kul Elna was not far from her village, so Teana would sneak in by climbing through a small hole in the gate to see Bakura.

"Alright, I'll do it. How do you plan to get me out of here?" Teana asked after a moment of silence.

"Well it's obvious that I can't just sneak you out of here, this place is crawling with guards. So I'm going to need another plan…" Bakura murmured, placing a finger on his chin in thought.

"What other way is there? We'll just have to take our chances." Teana replied boldly.

"Teana, that's too risky. Besides, I have the perfect plan anyway…" Bakura said, shaking his head in disapproval.

"What is it?"

"If I explain it to you now, it's going to look planned to Seto and the others. You'll see when the time comes." Bakura stood up from the bed and walked over to the window.

"Wait! You're leaving?" Teana asked, the panic in her voice rising.

"I had to leave at some point, Princess. Besides, you'll see me again. See ya." He winked at her, a thing that he did a lot when they were younger. Then, he jumped through the window and climbed down. She could hear the clamor of the horses and men waiting for him below.

Teana threw the blanket off of herself and ran over to the window. She watched the young thief give her a small wave before taking off on his horse, his followers tagging along behind him. She continued to watch as his crimson robe flapped behind him in the wind, and before she knew it he was gone.

Teana returned to her comfortable bed and once again got under the covers. She needed some sleep; after all, her escape was tomorrow. That was, if everything went right. She really hoped that whatever Bakura was planning would be enough to get her out of the castle.

Soon enough, Teana drifted off into a deep sleep.

X

"Teana, Seto has requested that I help you get ready. He wants you at a meeting for the planning of the Festival of the Kings." Isis said as she entered Teana's room. Teana sighed; she truly hated having this festival. For one thing, neither Seto nor Gozaburo were good kings. So she saw no reason that they should celebrate Kings that didn't deserve this appreciation. But nonetheless Teana nodded and allowed Isis to begin fixing her hair for her.

"You're unusually quiet today Teana. Is something on your mind?" Isis asked as she used a small comb to untangle the knots in her hair.

"Yes, but you have to promise that you won't tell anyone." Teana said. She was ready and willing to tell Isis of her plan to escape and that Bakura had visited her last night.

"I won't tell a soul." Isis replied, still continuing to remove the knots.

"Okay," Teana began, "I'm escaping the palace today."

Isis immediately stopped combing her hair. "You're what?"

"I'm escaping." Teana repeated. "I hate it here. The only person that's been good to me is you. You see, Bakura visited me last night, and-"

"_Bakura?_ You mean Thief King Bakura?" Isis interrupted.

Teana blinked, as if not really understanding her point. "Yes. We grew up together. He came last night, and he has a plan to get me out of here."

Isis put the comb down. "Teana, this isn't the smartest decision. I wouldn't go through with this."

Teana turned around to where she was facing Isis. "But Isis, do you see how Seto treats me? I don't want to live here, where Seto can continue to do these things to me, and I'm powerless to stop it. This is my window of opportunity that I've been dreaming of. And, it's with one of my closest friends."

"I realize that Teana, and I would understand if it were any other person. But Bakura is not to be trusted. Who's to say that he doesn't have his own vile reasons for offering to get you out of here?" Isis asked, her blue eyes narrowing.

"I've known Bakura for a long time; he wouldn't do anything like that. I trust him." Teana replied.

"Bakura may not be the same person that he was when you were children though, Teana. He may not be the same one that you think you know." Isis continued, a warning tone rising in her voice.

"He hasn't changed. And if he has, it's for the better. Besides, this is my only chance I have to escape. I'm not going to waste it." Teana argued.

Isis sighed. "Alright, if you really trust Bakura that much, then I won't stop you. But I must warn you, if Seto finds out about your plan, or if he catches you and Bakura, he'll kill Bakura, and possibly you."

"I know, but he won't find us. I'm sure of it." Teana answered.

"So does this mean… you're never coming back, Teana?" Isis asked after a long pause.

Teana looked away. "I… I'm not sure. If I do, and as long as Seto doesn't find out about the plan, he won't kill me, but he'll go after Bakura. And even though I hate it here, I don't want to leave you, Mahado, Mana, and Malik. You guys are like my family. Yet, at the same time, if I left, I could escape Seto, and I could go live and be truly free."

Mahado was Isis's husband, while Mana was their daughter and Malik was her brother. However, Seto did not allow them to live in the castle, so Mahado and Mana lived in a village on the outskirts of the kingdom while Malik lived further away. Isis missed them terribly, since she was forbidden to leave. The only reason Teana got the chance to know them was the fact that they were permitted to see Isis twice a month.

"Teana, don't let us hold you back. You're a grown woman, you shouldn't let us dictate your decisions." Isis reassured.

"But I'd miss you guys!"

"And we'd miss you too. But because we're your friends Teana, we're going to let you go if you choose to leave. The choice is yours." Isis replied in a calm tone.

"If you're sure… then I guess I am going to leave." Teana said, looking up from when she had averted her eyes.

Isis smiled warmly. "I'm glad. I hope you can find a better life out there than you did here, and I'm terribly sorry for my brother Seto. I really am, Teana."

"It's okay Isis, it's not your fault. Thank you." She embraced her only true friend in the castle one last time before heading downstairs to the Throne Room.

**A/N: Is it any better than the last chapter? I hope so! It wasn't much longer than the last chapter, so I'm sorry. It came out much shorter than I expected. **

**Review please! I still have plenty of cookies! :D**

**~TWO21**


	3. Escape

**A/N: I bet you all thought I gave up on this story! Nope, this will not turn out like my previous story!**

**Actually, it wasn't the fact that I ran out of ideas that caused me not to update. It was just my laziness. :/**

**Anyway, thank you to those who reviewed! I appreciate it a lot! It helps to improve my writing! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh**

**Enjoy!**

**X**

The meeting was nearly a riot. Many of the people Seto had invited were arguing amongst each other. So many people had multiple ideas, and they were all fighting about it. And during their arguing they hadn't even once thought of the fact that the King had the final say on what they did, no matter what they thought. Teana had not contributed. She had chosen not to get involved; preferring to stay out of the chaos. Besides, she didn't really have an opinion anyway.

However, that was not the only reason that she had not said anything.

She looked down at her sweaty hands that rested in her lap. Her heart was racing, and she was unconsciously tapping her foot. She was nervous, more than she had been in a while. Where was the Thief King? Yes, he had not said when he would come, let alone what his plan even was, and it had only been about an hour into the meeting. However, her nerves were getting the best of her. Would he show? She trusted him yes, but she would not be surprised if he did not come.

She should not worry just yet. He would show. She knew that he would. After all, when they were younger, he had never broken his word. Why would he be any different now? She leaned back against the excessively tall chair and stopped playing with her hands. Bakura used to always tease her about that when they were younger. He would tease her a lot. She would be insulted if it were any other person, but with Bakura it just felt nothing but playful.

She wondered why he left for so long. Why did he leave so randomly? She had hoped to see him before she went off to live in the castle, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She was glad that he had come last night though. He had become her ray of hope in her dismal prison.

Teana closed her azure eyes. Her dismal prison… who would think that living such a lavish lifestyle could be so torturous? She knew that any other woman would have adored this lifestyle. She would gladly trade places with a peasant woman any day.

_Flashback_

"_So, Teana," Seto began, fixing his cobalt blue eyes on her, "how are you liking life in the palace?"_

"_It's better than life as a peasant, I suppose." Teana answered, refusing to meet his gaze. Everyone at the dinner table looked up at her, as if astonished that she would give such an answer._

_His eyes narrowed. "Are you not grateful for this life?"_

_She still refused to look at him. "No, it's not that. I'm just not used to this life. It's foreign to me."_

_Seto's eyes seemed to soften. "That's understandable, I suppose. You did, after all, live in a small and poor village your entire life."_

_Teana sent a glare at him, but did not do anything more. _

_He continued. "You know, Teana, my father actually considered gating that village off as well, just like Kul Elna. I'm surprised that he didn't. Kul Elna was useless to the kingdom, and it wasn't liked very much, so I can understand why he would gate it off."_

_Was he trying to make her mad? She loudly dropped her fork on her plate to get his attention. "Kul Elna was just as much a part of the kingdom as any other village, Seto." The people at the table just stared at her, with their eyes wide and their mouths agape._

_Seto's eyes narrowed into that terrifying glare once more. "Don't defend those pathetic excuses for people, Teana. Remember, they are nothing but bugs under your feet now. You need to put that life behind you."_

_Teana felt her temper flare. She stood up, her large chair loudly sliding back against the hardwood floor. "I need to be excused."_

_Before she could leave, Seto snatched her wrist roughly. "You're not leaving; we're in the middle of a conversation."_

"_Let go of me Seto." She commanded, but to no avail. Seto's grip on her wrist only tightened. It tightened further and further until she yelped in pain, and he let her go._

"_Let that be a lesson to you, Teana. You don't defy me." Teana rubbed her injured wrist before reluctantly sitting down again in her chair._

"_Now then, let's continue eating." Seto said dismissively; as if he hadn't nearly broke her wrist just now. _

_Teana looked down at her wrist. A purple bruise started to form. From that moment on, she knew that it would be dangerous to attempt to argue with him, let alone merely question him. _

But of course, she still did fight with him. None of the things he suggested doing were right, and as the Princess she had to step in and say something. Whenever she did fight with him, she would be punished. She had finally given up fighting after a while, and accepted the life that fate had given her.

That is, until fate decided to give her Bakura.

"Teana, are you alright?" a male voice said. Teana looked up to see Yami staring back at her, his brows furrowed in concern. Yami, much like Isis, had been good to her during her time in the palace. She didn't get to see him much since he was so busy all the time, so she didn't know him very well. Seto had always been wary of Yami. He worried that Yami would win her affection, and fall for him instead. However Teana did not have any romantic feelings for Yami. Her feelings for him were platonic, if she could even call it that. She didn't know too much about him, other than the fact that he was kind and sincere.

"Why do you ask?"

"You're crying."

Teana gingerly placed her hand on her cheek and felt a warm wetness on her face. She had been crying and not realized it?

"Yes, I'm fine. My eyes must have been watering. Please, continue."

Yami narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but otherwise continued what he was saying to the King, who was vaguely interested in what Yami had to say.

She was nervous again. Teana anxiously tapped her foot against the floor. She was getting impatient. When would he come? If he was going to exact his plan, now would be the best time, she presumed. Or maybe he would come while she was in her room? She only hoped that whenever he did come was soon. But Teana knew that she shouldn't be complaining. She was getting rescued, she should be grateful for just that.

Her eyes drifted off from the table they were sitting at to the large doors and tall windows. She looked outside. It was a beautiful day, she imagined. The sun was out, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. She wondered how warm it was outside today…

She was brought out of her thoughts when she saw a dark cloaked figure against the window, standing on the ledge outside. She rubbed her eyes and blinked, was she seeing things? The figure was still there, it looked to be a person. Then the figure removed its hood, and she recognized him immediately.

It was Bakura.

He was here! Teana allowed a small smile to grace her lips. She returned her attention back to the table; luckily no one noticed. She was like a giddy child inside. She was going to escape!

Before anyone could complete another word, the sound of the doors slamming open caught everyone's attention. All eyes focused on the door, and Bakura came rushing in, along with about ten other men following behind him.

"Hello King Seto, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He smirked at Teana after he spoke.

"What are you doing here, you pathetic thief? Coming into the palace uninvited is a crime, you know." Seto stood up from his chair.

"I actually didn't come for you, Seto, I came for the girl." His eyes focused on Teana.

"She is not yours to take! The girl is my Queen."

"Oh?" Bakura snapped his fingers, and two of his men came out of nowhere and grabbed Teana from her chair. However, Teana hadn't quite been expecting that, so she wriggled and struggled to break free from their iron grasp.

"Play along." One of the men whispered. Teana immediately calmed down, and Bakura's plan suddenly started to become clearer to her.

"Now then," he wrapped an arm around her and placed a knife to her neck. "I am taking this girl. If any of you want to see her alive again, you'll relinquish the throne and your riches to me. You have three days to make your decision. If you refuse, this girl dies. If you accept my terms, then I will return her to you. And," He pressed the knife closer to her neck, but was careful not to draw blood, "if you try to chase me when I leave, I won't hesitate to kill her."

He whistled for his horse. "Tick tock Seto, make your choice!" Bakura jumped on his horse, and one of his henchmen threw her on top of the horse. Teana landed on it with a thud, and she was starting to get a little bit annoyed at Bakura's "friends" for how rough they were treating her. But she knew that it was all part of the act. The horse had taken off soon after that, and Bakura and Teana were riding out of the castle.

"Guards! After them!" Seto commanded.

"We can't sir! If we go after him he'll kill the Princess!" Came the guards' uncertain reply.

Seto immediately stopped what he was about to say in response. Besides the lust he felt for her, Seto did not have any romantic feelings towards Teana. Despite that, she was the future Queen. She had to be kept alive.

"Never mind then. Make sure you keep an eye on Bakura's whereabouts."

"Yes sir!"

"_So this was the plan that Bakura created to get Teana out of here. He pretended to kidnap her, knowing all too well that my brother would not relinquish his throne. So instead of killing her like he said, he'll take her away from the kingdom. That was smart… I wonder where he will take her." _Isis thought to herself.

"Your majesty, I'm sorry to say this, but you must relinquish the throne to Bakura. It is the only way to save the Princess." Yami said gravely.

"I can't do that! This kingdom needs a ruler!" Seto snapped defensively.

"But Your Highness, you can't risk Teana's life for the throne!" Yami shouted back.

Seto glared at him, his cold azure gaze drilling into Yami. "We won't have to. We'll find another way out of this. Now everyone, go to your rooms." Seto muttered dismissively. Everyone else, despite the fact that their Princess had just been kidnapped, did as they were told by their King, and returned to their rooms.

X

"I can't believe it," Teana murmured as Bakura helped her dismount from the horse, "I'm free."

"How does it feel to actually see the sunlight, Teana?" Bakura joked, but he knew that this was a big moment for Teana.

"It feels amazing. You would feel the same if you've lived cooped up on the castle for a year without once leaving." Teana replied flatly.

"I can't say that I would mind life in the palace." Bakura murmured. When they were kids, both he and Teana would fantasize about life in the palace and what it would be like.

"You would; no one can ever just leave you alone for five seconds! It's always Teana this, Teana that. They never leave me alone!" Teana exclaimed in a frustrated tone, throwing her arms up in the air exaggeratedly.

Bakura chuckled. "Sounds like you're ready to go back to life as a peasant."

"Believe me, I am. Which reminds me, how are we going to go through here without people recognizing me?" She was sure that lots of people had seen her face and knew who she was, and that if they saw her traveling with the Thief King they would suspect something.

"Easy, we'll keep from talking to anyone unless absolutely necessary. Besides, we won't be going through many villages anyway." Bakura explained.

Teana nodded in understanding before she spoke again. "So when will we set out? And how far are we going?"

"We'll leave tomorrow. Originally I planned to bring you to the outskirts of the Kingdom, but then I realized that Seto will have his men searching all over the land for you. So I'm going to take you with me, outside of the Kingdom altogether. But," Bakura smirked, "there is something I want you to do for me on our little journey."

Teana raised a chocolate colored brow. "And what's that?"

"If I so happen to be injured, then I want you to treat my wounds. I can't be slowed down with the King's men after me. And I want you to cook food for us as well; none of us can cook to save our lives."

At first, Teana wanted to protest. But, she realized that he had gotten her out of the castle. He was willing to take her with him out of the kingdom, something that she hadn't asked for. She had only asked to be out of the palace. And, despite the fact that he said he had no price, treating any possible wounds he got along the way and cooking food was the least she could do for him.

"Alright, I'll do it." Teana said, "After all, it's the least I can do."

He grinned. "Excellent. Now, let's go find somewhere to rest."

**A/N: Yay, things are finally moving along! And I have plenty of Vexshipping in store for later chapters. :D **

**I still feel like I am not safe from the Seto fangirls…**

**Anyway, R & R please! I'm hopefully going to stop being lazy from now on so updates should come in faster. **

**See you next chapter!**

**~TWO21**


	4. Loyal Followers

**A/N: Sorry for not updating, I've been pretty busy lately. My oldest dog has just passed away recently and it's been really hard on me.**

**I hope you like this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Yu-Gi-Oh is rightfully owned by Kazuki Takahashi.**

**Enjoy!**

**X**

"Hey, Khai! Can you keep an eye on Teana? Can't have her getting into trouble." Bakura called over his shoulder. He was heavily focused on prepping his horse and thinking about what he would get for his journey. He had to keep Teana and the others happy. The younger boy known as Khai stirred a bit before nodding. He hopped to his feet. "Sure thing, Bakura-sama!"

Teana frowned. "Hey! I can take care of myself, you know!" she interjected, placing her hands on her hips. She was not a child!

A smirk curled the thief's lips upward. "Perhaps, but who's going to save you if some perverted old man tries to kidnap you and sell you? I can't, since I'm leaving. But if Khai and the others are here to protect you, that won't happen." Bakura explained. Teana lost any anger that she had and let her hands fall to her sides.

"Fine. How long will you be gone?"

"An hour or two, at most. I'm just going to pick up a few things. We've got a bit of a journey ahead, Princess. We have to be prepared." He winked at her.

"…Alright. Don't be gone too long, I know how you are." She warned. As kids, Bakura was always late when she would meet him at the very front of his village.

"Don't worry Princess, you won't miss me for too long." With a flick of his hand as his goodbye, Bakura mounted his horse and rode off towards the nearest village.

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Khai spoke up. "So, Princess, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Khai, Bakura-sama's right hand man." He wore a broad and proud smile. The boy looked to be about fifteen. He had black hair pulled into a small ponytail with pale blue eyes, as well as pale skin. He was not particularly weak, but Teana wondered how he could protect her if they got into a dangerous situation.

"It's nice to meet you." Teana replied with a smile of her own. Khai stuck out his hand, which was covered in filth. Teana hesitated a bit, but shook his hand.

"So you're a childhood friend of Bakura-sama's?" Khai asked as he sat down on the soft grass. Teana joined him, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"Yes. His village was right next to mine. We were really close growing up." Teana explained. Khai's icy eyes expressed his acknowledgement.

"Were you guys together?" Khai asked, curiosity written over his face. For being a near teenager, he had boyish features. And he asked a lot of questions.

Teana felt heat rush to her cheeks. "No, we weren't together. We were just friends." She and Bakura _together?_ Of course not!

Khai nodded in acknowledgement. "I met Bakura-sama when I was ten. He was fourteen. I ran away from home, cause my parents were abusive. Somehow I ended up in Kul Elna. Bakura-sama saved my life when a group of guys tried to attack me. He said it was because those men were in his way. From that moment on I swore I would always stick by him till I repaid him, like a loyal sidekick. He tried to get rid of me a lot, but I never left. I've been with him for the past five years. Bakura-sama's like the older brother I always wanted! When I'm old enough, I'll be just like him!" he exclaimed.

Teana was astonished at the boy's story. How come she had never seen this boy? How come Bakura never mentioned him? Maybe there was something about the past that Bakura was not telling her… No, she doubted that. She remembered nearly everything about the past. Well, almost everything.

"How'd you meet Bakura-sama?" the boy suddenly asked. Teana blinked and looked down at him.

"I met him when I was six. He was seven. We literally ran right into each other. At first, Bakura was rude to me, but then as I got curious to know more about him, we became friends. We then became close, and we were friends ever since. When I turned 17, Seto proposed to me. I didn't see Bakura for a whole year after that. But, a couple nights ago, Bakura snuck into my room, and he created an escape plan for me. He's going to take me out of the kingdom." Teana explained.

Khai looked up to the night sky. "That's really kind of him. Despite his bitterness and sarcasm, deep down, Bakura-sama is a good person. It just takes the right person to see it. I saw it, and you saw it too, didn't you?"

"I did." Teana answered, and silence filled the air once more.

"Hey Teana, how about I introduce you to the others? I'm sure they'd like to meet you." Khai suggested. _"__He must not like silence_,_"_ she thought. Teana blinked before nodding and following Khai off to where the others had made camp for the night.

"Hey guys, this is the Princess, Teana!" Khai shouted to get their attention. The men silenced their chatter and looked at her, some of their gazes lingering a bit longer than normal. Teana glared threateningly at the ones that stared too long.

"We know that, brat. Who doesn't know the Princess?" an older voice growled. The man that spoke had a mixture of black and silver hair, and it was shaggy and unkempt. His eyes were a deep hazel, and he was wearing rags.

Khai looked down in shame. "R-Right. Did you get the orders from Bakura-sama to protect Teana while he's gone?"

"Yes, he told us to watch her." A calmer voice responded. The man was older than Khai but younger than the other man that spoke before. He had light sandy brown hair and dark green eyes. He too was dressed in rags.

Khai nodded. "Teana, that _pleasant_ man that spoke the first time is Kirichi-san. The second one that spoke is Asuru-san. That's Colbiyo-san. He's Moridaika-san. And that's Dhiaka-san." The men all waved as they were introduced.

"This is all of them? I could have sworn there were more when Bakura came to the castle." Teana questioned.

"These are all of Bakura-sama's loyal followers. The rest just come sometimes because Bakura-sama pays them for their help when there aren't enough of us to do the job." Khai explained.

"You're lucky to be traveling with us, Princess." Colbiyo said, taking a sip from the contents of his mug.

"Yes, Bakura-sama doesn't let just anyone travel with him. He's a bitter and cold man. It takes a lot to get him to acknowledge you. Tell me, what have you done to earn Bakura-sama's attention?" Dhiaka asked.

"We were friends as kids." Teana answered, and that earned a chorus of whispers and murmurs.

"You lived in the village of Kul Elna? The village that Gozaburo gated off from the rest of the kingdom?" Moridaika asked in disbelief.

"Not exactly. I lived in the village right by his. We saw each other by crawling through a small hole in the gate." Teana explained.

"Hn. Just don't slow us down, Princess. We all want to get out of here as soon as possible." Kirichi muttered darkly before getting up and leaving the group of bandits and the Princess.

"Sorry about him, he can be a bit... rude sometimes." Khai whispered, and Teana giggled.

"Bakura-sama's like that too sometimes." Asuru added with a chuckle.

"Like what?" A deep voice spat. Asuru and everyone else looked up to see Bakura standing behind them, a large sack over his shoulder.

"O-Oh, you're back Bakura-sama!" Asuru cried in a comedic manner, rubbing the back of his head and laughing sheepishly.

Bakura snorted and pushed Asuru out of the way. "Whatever. Did you guys keep her safe like I asked?"

"Yup! No one came anyway, so she was fine!" Khai said to his older brother figure.

"Good. Now then, Khai, you and the others get some sleep."

"Aww, do we have to?"

"We're traveling tomorrow, so yes. If any of you fall asleep while we're traveling, I'm leaving you behind. You don't want that to happen, do you?"

"No, Bakura-sama! We'll go to sleep now. Let's go guys." Khai and the rest of the bandits put out the fire and headed to their handmade tents.

When Bakura looked up from his sack of items, he noticed that Teana was still there. "That includes you."

Teana ignored his comment and went to go sit beside him. "How come you never told me about Khai?"

Bakura paused and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Teana shifted into a more comfortable position. "Khai told me how you guys met. When we were younger, how come you never introduced me to him?"

Bakura's eyes hardened. Teana noticed that Bakura expressed a lot of his emotions through his eyes. They were extremely readable, like an open book. You could roughly tell what he was feeling just by looking in his eyes. His eyes that Teana had always admired for their odd color and intriguing beauty. "That's because back then I wanted nothing to do with him. I tried for three years after I first met him to get rid of him. But he kept tagging along. I never introduced him to you because he wasn't important to me then. But as the years went by… the kid sorta grew on me. And he was useful to have around. So after I turned 17 and he turned 13, I decided to take him with me. He's been my most loyal follower for the past two years."

Teana mouthed an "oh" and looked away from him. "Khai really likes you, you know. He calls you his older brother. He wants to be just like you."

"I know. But I'm not keeping him with me after he turns sixteen. I'm going to force him to leave." Bakura answered nonchalantly.

"Why?! He adores you!"

"Because he's capable of living on his own after he turns sixteen. Besides, you don't want another person like me running around, right?" he asked, smirking. _"The kid can't turn out like me." _He thought to himself.

"But Bakura…" Teana whispered, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Don't "but" me, Princess. My decision is final. Now go to sleep, we have a long journey ahead."

Teana heaved a sigh. "…Fine. I won't stop you from doing what you want. Goodnight."

She got no response from the brooding thief.

X

"How have you not found her yet?!" Seto demanded angrily, slamming his fist on the wooden table.

The guards backed up in fear at their King's sudden display of rage. "We've looked everywhere sir but we haven't found her. The thief must've hidden her in the outskirts of the city." they explained.

"Keep searching, none of you are allowed to stop until she is returned here and the thief is dead. Take turns on patrolling if you have to." Seto grumbled. The guards nodded and were off to continue their search for the Princess and the Thief King.

Seto placed his head in his hands, rubbing his cobalt blue eyes. He had to find her. She was necessary to run the kingdom. He could not run the kingdom without her. She was smart and could make sensible decisions, even under pressure. The subjects of his palace and the citizens loved her. They could start a rebellion and blame him if she was not found.

"Seto," a quiet and calm voice began. Seto looked up to see his sister Isis walking down the long staircase.

"What is it Isis? I'm not in the mood to be bothered right now."

"It's about the conditions you have set for my family to visit. I wish for my family to be allowed to visit more often." Isis approached her younger brother with caution.

"Isis," Seto snarled, "you know that I don't make negotiations that easily. Especially for something like this."

"Seto please, I miss my family. I don't get to celebrate any of their birthdays, I hardly see them. My family's falling apart because of the conditions you have set for them!" Isis cried, her hands balling into fists. Seto was a bit surprised to see her display of emotions. She was usually a calm and collected woman.

"You know what happened when I allowed your family to live here. Your hotheaded brother and husband attempted to argue with me. I'm not having that." Seto told her sternly.

"I promise I'll keep them from fighting with you. Just please, let them come more often!" Isis was nearly begging now.

Seto pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Your family may visit three times a month, and they can visit for two days instead of one. Fair enough?"

Isis smiled, tears of joy filling her eyes that held so much pain. "Thank you Seto, thank you."

"Don't think you'll get me to go further than that. Now leave, Isis." Isis nodded curtly before she went back up the stairs.

X

"_Come on! If we don't hurry, we'll miss it!" The girl struggled to lug her twelve year old friend along._

"_Miss what? Where are we going?" the boy replied, a bit reluctant to find out what his friend had to show him._

"_You'll see, just come on!" The two children picked up their pace. They ran for what felt like hours. They both panted, their breaths coming in gasps as they ran through the cold night._

"_Close your eyes." The girl commanded. The boy did as he was told, and the girl led him a few more steps forward._

"_Okay, open them." The young boy opened his lavender-blue eyes to the most amazing sight he'd ever seen. _

_The moon was full and shining brightly on the kingdom. The warm lights glowed within the houses, while the moon illuminated the cities and villages. The white light mixed with the warm golden lights. Most of the buildings were tall and stood out against the full moon._

"_Woah… that's the kingdom..?" the boy murmured._

"_Yup. Isn't it pretty?" the girl replied eagerly._

"_Yeah. It is." The boy replied, still distracted by the view. The two then shared a fitting silence, spent by staring at the great view. The boy opened his mouth to speak a few times, but closed it again, as if giving up._

_When the sun came up, the girl shrieked. "I have to go! Mother will be mad at me!" _

_The boy seemed dismayed, but covered it up with a smile. "Alright. Bye!" _

"_Bye!" the girl called as she hurried off towards her village._

Teana sat up, her chest heaving. She didn't know why she was panting, it wasn't a scary dream. But she was exhausted, she felt like she had been running.

"_Odd…" _she thought, _"I was running in my dream…"_

The dream didn't seem exactly like a dream though; it seemed more like a memory. The girl in the dream looked like her, so she guessed that that was her. And the boy seemed so familiar. Maybe now, the few memories she lost were coming back to her. Maybe she would find out why she lost them.

Deciding that she'd better return to sleep before Bakura woke up, Teana laid back down and returned to her sleep and peaceful dreams.

**A/N: I hope this chapter was better. I spent four hours writing and revising this so it shouldn't be terrible. Oh, and Khai is an OC of mine. The rest are just characters I made up for this story.**

**Review please! :D**

**~TWO21**


	5. Distant

**A/N: I bring to you chapter 5! I am so sorry for the wait! I've been so busy lately! :O **

**Oh, and thank you to those who reviewed so far! :D**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

**X**

"Teana, wake up! We're leaving." Khai shouted. Teana stirred a bit from her peaceful slumber before opening her bright blue eyes. She groggily sat up; she had never really been a morning person. Her eyes darted over to the sun, which had just began to rise up over the horizon.

"We're leaving already?"

"Yes, now come on." Bakura said coldly. Teana frowned at him. What was wrong with him? Something didn't seem right with him as of late.

Teana staggered to her feet and noticed that everyone else was already awake and ready to leave.

"Why are we leaving so early?"

"We want to get you out of here as soon as we can." Khai reminded her.

Teana was about to say something back but was caught off guard by a pair of muscular arms wrapping around her waist. She then felt herself being lifted up and placed on a horse.

Her cheeks darkened as she whirled around and faced Bakura. "Why'd you do that?!"

He smirked. "Can't I be a gentleman and help you?"

"A _gentleman _would have offered his hand and helped me climb on, instead of grabbing me and throwing me on the horse." She retorted.

He chuckled. "But then again, whoever said _I _was a _gentleman?_"

Teana opened her mouth to respond, but she found that she couldn't say what she had intended to. No words came out. So instead she shrunk back and pretended that she never said anything at all.

Bakura took note of this, and glared at her. He never liked it when she was quiet. Sure, he enjoyed the time to think without her complaining, but when she was quiet it usually meant something was wrong. And though he would never admit it, he did not like to see her upset.

The horses began to slowly trot through the thick forest, and for a while things were silent. Not even Khai, the boy who Teana believed to detest silence, said a word. The young boy seemed to have other things on his mind. His boyish face seemed concerned. He was worried about something.

Teana's eyes shifted over to Bakura, who seemed more frustrated than anything else. He seemed to always have something on his mind. He thought a lot. Despite having a temper, he was smart, and always thought things through before he did them. However, at times when he was angry he tended to jump to conclusions. And he was impatient. Despite all of it, she admired that about him.

"Teana, is there something on my face?" Bakura snapped at her irately. She was taken out of her trance, and she blushed and looked away.

"No, sorry. I just zoned out." She was quiet after that.

Complete silence followed after that, but this time it was a more peaceful silence. The previous one had been awkward and uncomfortable, but this one was rather nice. A long while passed, and Teana and a few of the others spent their time admiring the scenery, while others used the time to think.

However, that peaceful silence was soon ruined.

"Bakura-sama, I'm hungry."

Teana sighed. She figured the silence wouldn't last long with Khai around.

X

"Mom!" Mana cried as she slipped through the partially open palace doors and leapt into her mother's arms.

"Mana! I've missed you so much!" Isis cried as she wrapped her arms around her daughter.

Soon enough, Malik and Mahado came into the palace as well. Isis set Mana down and ran to embrace her husband.

With his arms still wrapped around Isis, Mahado leaned down a bit. "How has life in the palace been?"

"Terrible. How has life at home been?"

He chuckled, though it was half-hearted and bittersweet. "Not much better than you, it's been terrible without you here."

"Mahado… I wish there was something I could do to change it. I really do."

"But there isn't, so we'll have to make do with what we're permitted to do now." They stayed like that for a moment longer before Malik interrupted them.

"Don't I get a hug?" Isis's lips tilted upward slightly into a small smile. She separated from Mahado and wrapped her arms around her younger brother who now surpassed her in height. It was amazing how tall Malik had gotten.

Once they separated, Isis looked at them all with relief. She was glad that they were safe. She spent nearly every night worrying for them. "Seto's decided to let you all stay for two days instead of one."

"Really?!" Mana cried. Isis looked down at Mana and nodded.

"Awesome! I get the biggest bedroom, right?" Mana asked, excitement shining in her emerald eyes.

"Right, _sure_ you do." Malik replied, and Mana stuck her tongue out at him.

It was moments like these that Isis cherished the most. Her family was the most important thing to her, so seeing them happy and not really focused on the hardships of their lives was a comforting feeling. Especially since there were many other things they could be worried about right now.

Isis chuckled in a forced lighthearted manner. "Come on, I'll show you to your rooms."

X

"You still have no leads on the Thief King?!" Seto snapped harshly, his azure eyes drilling harshly into the soldiers.

"I'm afraid not sir. Bakura must have covered up his tracks well." The soldier replied, though he almost stuttered under Seto's intimidating gaze.

Seto pinched the bridge of his nose. "Have any of the citizens seen him or Teana?"

"No sir."

Seto let out a frustrated sigh. "Very well then. I want _all _of the soldiers to stop what they're doing and join you in the search."

The soldier's eyes widened. "But your majesty, that would leave the palace unguarded!"

"I don't care! I want everyone out searching for that petty thief! And when you find him, bring him back alive. I want to decide his punishment."

"Yes sir!"

X

"Bakura-sama, can I go get my food now? You've made me wait all day." Khai whined.

"Fine, fine. Go." Bakura replied without turning to face him.

"Will you wait for me?"

"There's no need, our next stopping point isn't that far away. You'll find us."

"Right!" With that the young boy strayed from the path to find himself something to eat.

Teana was glad that they were finally stopping. They'd been traveling all day, and even though she was traveling by horse, her legs and arms ached, as well as her head. She wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep.

After a few more moments the horses finally stopped. "We're going to rest here for the night." Bakura told everyone, and they stopped and dismounted. Teana dismounted as well, and her attention was immediately caught by the sound of running water. She wandered off in the direction of the sound, and saw that there was a small creek at the bottom of the hill.

Teana gently touched her hair, and noted that there was dirt and grime in it. She imagined that parts of her face were probably the same, and she looked down to find that her arms and hands were caked in dirt. This very well may be the only creek they come upon for miles. Surely Bakura and the others wouldn't care if she took a quick bath to rid herself of the dirt.

To make sure that no one would see, Teana crept into the thickest part of the trees and bushes. She quickly removed her dirt-streaked dress and undergarments. She placed them on a nearby rock before quickly scurrying into the cold water. The water was freezing, causing goose-bumps to cover her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to warm up. After a few moments of adapting to the cold temperature, she began to gently wash the dirt off of her body.

Meanwhile, as Bakura was setting up camp, he heard a splash in the creek nearby. He looked up, and he let his curiosity get the best of him. So he wandered off from the small fire he had made and walked down the bottom of the hill, and as soon as he did he immediately wished he hadn't.

He saw Teana.

In the creek.

With _no_ _clothes_.

As soon as she caught sight of him, her eyes went wide and a massive blush stained her face a dark crimson.

"KYAAAAHHHH!"

The bloodcurdling shriek brought Bakura back into reality. And, much to his chagrin, a blush nearly as dark as hers was tinting his face. "Hey, it's not my fault! You never said anything!"

"I shouldn't have to!" she shouted back. "Now go!"

The Thief King said nothing as he walked back up the hill. His face was still red, and it was irritating him that it wouldn't go away.

"Hey Bakura-sama, why's your face all red?" Khai asked as he saw Bakura come back up from the bottom of the hill.

"Shut up." Bakura snapped, ignoring his question completely.

X

"Hey, Bakura, how far away are we from the outside of the kingdom?" Teana asked. Neither of them had said anything to each other after that event for a little while because of the awkwardness hanging around, but eventually Teana was able to get over it, for the most part, and speak to him.

"We're roughly halfway there. We should be able to make it out of here before any of Seto's men find us. That is, as long as we move quickly." He replied, however he was not looking at her as he spoke. He seemed distant again.

Teana gave a quiet sigh and scooted closer to the Thief King. "Bakura, is something bothering you? I mean, what happened earlier wasn't really your fault, so I shouldn't have-"

"It's not that." Bakura interrupted her. Teana ceased her rant and looked up at him, her blue eyes wide and curious.

"It's nothing. Don't concern yourself with it." was his blunt answer. But Teana was not happy with that response.

"Why shouldn't I concern myself with it? I… I care about you, Bakura. I want to know when something's bothering you."

Bakura's eyes widened. She cared about him..?

"Well save your concern, I'm fine." And with that, he got up and went off to where he was going to sleep for the night. Teana frowned; why did he refuse to tell her anything?! Was she not allowed to care or something?

Teana remained awake until the fire soon died out, and Teana leaned back against the tree behind her. After a few moments, sleep consumed her instead of her thoughts.

**A/N: Was this chapter any better? I hope you guys like it. ^_^ I've gotten some great ideas for this story, so updates **_**should **_**be coming in sooner. **

**Review please!**

**~TWO21**


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